1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to floor systems. More particularly, the present invention concerns an athletic floor system and a method of assembly. The product and method for constructing an athletic floor allow for flooring to be more cost-effective while retaining the same amount of springiness afforded by more expensive flooring systems.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
A shock-absorbent athletic floor system without vibrations has been the goal of many previous efforts by others. Many athletic floors are either too loose and have floating members and dead spots, or are fastened so tight that there is little or no shock-absorbing capacity. Moreover, many prior art floors are difficult to install and suffer from having guide channels that are rendered immobile because they are fastened directly to a concrete foundation. In such systems, the insertion of springs, foam pads, and/or the like into the subfloor does not overcome the fact that the guide channels are pinned down directly to the foundation, eliminating the possibility for the system to breath and rise above the foundation beneath it. This is but one example of non-optimal design in flooring systems of the prior art and is not necessarily present in all previous flooring systems. Nevertheless, through the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the drawings in the ensuing disclosure, benefits of the presently disclosed flooring system over prior art systems become apparent.
Examples of earlier flooring systems are disclosed in the following references: U.S. Pat. No. 1,799,400; U.S. Pat. No. 2,317,015; U.S. Pat. No. 2,317,428; U.S. Pat. No. 2,368,620; U.S. Pat. No. 2,539,038; U.S. Pat. No. 3,271,916; U.S. Pat. No. 3,420,025; U.S. Pat. No. 3,577,694; U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,264; U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,914; U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,842; U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,250; U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,413; U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,590; U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,621; U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,183; U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,621; U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,082; U.S. Pat. No. 6,073,409; U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,873; U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,185; U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,693; U.S. Pat. No. 6,688,065 B2; U.S. Pat. No. 7,383,663 B2; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,412,806 B2.